Hand fire extinguisher



www #EL 5@ 1, C, HESSON HAND FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed July 5l, 1945 lNvENToR me 5.'

\ NN V ATTRNEY Patented Jan. 31, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAND FIRE EXTINGUISHER James C. Hesson,` Chicago, lll., assigner to Cardox Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illin nois 3 Claims.

This invention relates to carbon dioxide hand re extinguishers, and deals more particularly with converting into efficient hand extinguishers the carbon dioxide cartridges which are now being extensively employed for blasting or breaking down coal in mines, breaking up for removal the slag formations in kilns and open hearth furnaces, and other kindred operations.

Patent No. 2,207,191, issued to Eric Geertz, on July 9, 1940, discloses and claims a re-usable, or re-chargeable, cartridge that is employed for breaking down or dislodging material by means of a, discharge of highly compressed carbon dioxide vapor. These cartridges are charged with carbon dioxide in liquid form `and the liquid is converted to high pressure Vapor, at the time of use, by the burning of a. chemical heater compound that is located in the carbon dioxide confining space of the cartridge. The burning of the chemical heater compound generates suicient heat to expand the carbon dioxide vapor until the desired internal pressure is reached, which usually is approximately 15,000 pounds per square inch. When the desired pressure is produced within the cartridge, a rupturable disc is sheared and the high pressure. vapor is released into a drill hole through the radial ports of the discharge cap that is attached to one end of the cartridge body.

The material dislodging cartridges now being extensively employed commercially vary in size and are capable of holding from approximately 2 pounds to approximately 6 pounds of liquid carbon dioxide when charged. The liquid carbon dioxide is placed in the cartridges by means of charging plugs which are attached to the ends of the cartridge bodies opposite their discharge caps. Each charging plug is provided with a flow path therethrough that communicates at one end with the carbon dioxide conningspace of the cartridge body and that opens at its outer end into an enlarged recess or pocket which is formed in an exposed portion of the side of the discharge plug, is internally screw threaded, and is formed with a conical valve seat that is concentric with the adjacent end of the aforesaid flow path.

An externally threaded plug valve is adiustably mounted in the recess or pocket of the charging plug. This valve is backed away from the conical valve seat, by means of a wrench that is properly associated with a special charging clamp or head, when the cartridge is charged with liquid carbon dioxide. After the charging operation has been completed, the plug valve is re-seated and the charging clamp or head is disconnected from the cartridge. The cartridge then is in condition for being used to perform its normal function of breaking down material..

Because these cartridges contain suiiicient carbon dioxide to render efficient rst aid to in cipient rires, and because the carbon dioxide can be discharged from the cartridges by merely backing-off their charging plug valves, these cartridges can be converted to efficient hand re extinguishers by providing them with suitable discharge nozzles that will operate to effect. proper directional control over the carbon. dioxide when it is discharged.

Itis the primary object of this invention to provide means for adapting a carbon dioxide charged material dislodging cartridge for use as a hand lire extinguisher.

A further important object of this invention is to provide a nozzle device which may be slipped onto and frictionally held on one end of a carbon dioxide charged material dislodging cartridge for converting said cartridge into an efficient hand nre extinguisher.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of discharge nozzle for hand fire extinguishers.

Other objects. and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the follow ing description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specication and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a convention-a1 carbon dioxide charged material dislodging cartridge with the carbon dioxide directional control nozzle, embodying this invention, properly applied thereto,

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a hand fire extinguisher that is produced by employing only the body portion and charging plug of a conventional material dislodging cartridge and applying the carbon dioxide directional control nozzle thereto.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown the preferred embodiments of this invention, and rst particularly referring to Figs. l and 2, the reference character designates the body portion of a conventional cartridge that is employed for dislodging material. This body is provided with a chamber t that is intended to receive a proper charge of carbon dioxide in liquid form.

One end of this body 5 is provided with an in- 3 ternally threaded throat l. Inwardly of this throat, the bore of the body is stepped inwardly, or reduced in diameter, to form the annular, concentric shoulder 8.

A packing gasket 9 is adapted to be seated on the shoulder and to be engaged by a metallic disc lo. Engaging the outer face of this disc, and tightly clamping the disc against the gasket 9 is the externally threaded shank of the conventional discharge cap l2. This cap is provided with a suitable number of obliquely arranged discharge ports i3 through which carbon dioxide vapor is released when a predetermined, internal Vapor pressure been created in the cartridge body chamber 5 and this pressure has caused the centrai portion of the disc l!! to be sheared out by the hardened cutting edge l l a of the shank I I.

The remaining end `oi the cartridge body 5 is provided with `an internally threaded throat M. Inwardly thereof, the bore `of the :body is reduced in diameter to `form a shoulder l 5 for seating the packing gasket l5. The shoulder also acts as a seat for the flanged end of the plug IB that is iitted in the end of the "paper tube 59 which receives the chemical compound 2Q that is ignited and which :burns to gasify the charge of liquid carbon dioxide that is placed in the chamber 6 of the cartridge body. An electric squib or match 2| is embedded in the heater compound 2G and is provided with wire terminals 22 and 23. IIihe Wire terminal 22 'passes through the center of the plug is while the terminal 23 is exposed exteriorly of the tube i9 for providing a grounded contact with the cartridge body 5.

A suitable series of longitudinal passages 2d are drilled through the reduced bore portion of the cartridge body which forms the shoulder |5. These passages are provided for carbon dioxide to now therethrough during charging of the cartridge body.

A charging Ior filling plug 25 has its externally screw threaded shank 25 threaded in the throat i4 and bearing at its inner end against the packing gasket i6. This charging plug has formed therein a 'passageway 2i that communicates at its inner end with the interior of the cartridge body and is formed at its -outer end into a laterally opening, enlarged pocket or recess 28 that is formed with a conical valve seat 25 in its bottom wall. The pocket or recess 23 is internally screw threaded and is formed with two or more axial grooves Sii that extend between the peripheral edge Iportion loi the conical valve seat 29 and the outer `face of the charging plug 25. Fig. 1 discloses an externally screw threaded plug valve 3| that is threadedly positioned within the recess or Ipocket 28 and is movable between seating and unseating positions with respect to the valve seat 2S. When this plug valve 3i is unseated, or arranged in the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, it will be appreciated that the grooves 3G will allow carbon dioxide to now past or by the valve 3|.V

An electrode 32 is positioned within the charging plug 25 and has a stem 33 that is positioned to engage the terminal 22 of the electric squib or match. 2 l. The remaining end of this electrode 32 makes contact with a wire 313 that is inserted into the transverse opening 35 formed in the outer end portion lof the charging plug 25. A second transverse opening 36 is formed in the chargingr plug 25 for receiving a ground wire.

The structure so far described forms all of the elements of a conventional carbon dioxide mae terial dislodging or blasting cartridge. When the 4 plug valve 3| is backed off of its seat, by means of a suitable socket wrench, not shown, that is p0- sitioned in the socket 31, the chamber 6 of the cartridge body 5 can .be charged with the carbon dioxide. A'fter the cartridge is iilled, the plug valve 3| is screwed inwardly until its inner conical end engages the conical valve seat 29. If it is desired to discharge the carbon dioxide from the cartridge body chamber 6, the lling plug valve 3i can abe backed away from its seat 29.

lTo convert this conventional material dislodging cartridge into an efficient hand re extinguisher, a suitable carbon dioxide directing nozzle 38 is quickly applied to the exposed end portion of the charging plug 25. This carbon dioxide directing nozzle may take any desired form but it is specically illustrated as consisting of a conical or flared horn-shaped body portion which is made of any desired material, such as metal or a suitable plastic. The inner, smaller end of this hornV is formed with a cylindrical mounting sleeve 39. This horn is longitudinally slotted and the sllottingof the sleeve at 4B allows for expansion to [permit the sleeve to be lforced over the exterior of the charging .plug 25 so that the mounting sleeve will frictionally grip this plug.

Themounting sleeve 39 is offset, or deformed from its cylindrical shape, to provide the longitudinally extending channel or groove 4|. This groove or channel opens into the flared horn or body portion of the nozzle 38 .at one end and terminates in spaced relation to the free end or edge of the mounting sleeve 39.

In applying the discharge nozzle to the charging plug 25, the groove or channel 4| should be located so that it registers radially with the plug valve 3|. An opening 42 is formed in the bottom wall of the channel or groove di to register with the socket 31 of the plug Valve 3|.. This opening 42 allows for the insertion of a socket wrench to be used to unseat the valve 3| while the. car-V bon dioxide discharge directing nozzle 38 is in place. By inspecting Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the plug valve 3| can be backed 01T of its seat far enough to engage the inner surface of the bottom or outer wall of the channel or groove 4|, at the margin of the opening 42, to close this opening against the loss of carbon dioxide therethrough. This engagement of the plug valve 3| with the wall of the groove or channel 4| also functions to key or lock the discharge nozzle against removal or dislodgment from the charging plug 25 -during discharge of carbon dioxide.

Fig. 3 discloses a slight modication of the hand iire extinguisher illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. In this modication, only the essential portions of a material dislodging cartridge are employed. These essential portions consist of the main cartridge body 5 and the charging plug 25 with its plug valve 3|. In other words, the chemical heater unit |9 and the electrode 32 are dispensed with. A suitable plug 43 is driven in the transverse opening 35 Ato close this opening against the loss of carbon dioxide. As the transverse opening 35, which normally accommodates the ground wire, does not communicate with the chamber E of the cartridge body 5, this transverse opening need not be closed. v

Instead of closing the remaining end of the cartridge body 5 with a disc IG and a discharge cap |2, a plug 44 may be substituted. All of the remaining elements of the structure shownin Figs. l and 2 are included and the same refer-.- ence characters will beapplied thereto.

It will be..4 appreciated that wherever the cartridge of Fig. 1 is employed for breaking down coal in mines, and the like, these cartridges are available at all times in relatively large quantities. When these cartridges are charged for use, it is a very simple matter to pick up one of the same and apply a discharge nozzle 38 thereto for converting the cartridge into an eincient fire extinguishing device. Because these cartridge bodies, for the various conventional sizes, vary in length from about two and a half feet to slightly less than four feet, and measure from two inches to three inches in outside diameter, they form a very convenient implement for easy handling and manipulation in eecting the extinguishment of res.

Because normal wear and tear, resulting from repeated usage under very strenuous operating conditions, eventually render the cartridge bodies 5 unsuitable for further use as a part of blasting cartridges, which use requires them to withstand in the neighborhood of 15,000 pounds per square inch internal pressure, the extinguisher structure of Fig. 3 illustrates a use for worn out blasting cartridge bodies. When these cartridge bodies are converted to fire extinguishing work exclusively, their carbon dioxide charges will be subjected to ambient temperatures only and the internal pressure developed by the carbon dioxide charge seldom will exceed 1200 pounds per square inch.

It is to be understood that the forms of this invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus descried the invention, I claim:

1. In a hand fire extinguisher, a body chambered to receive a charge of carbon dioxide, a charging plug closing one end of the chambered body, said vcharging plug having a passageway therethrough which has its outer end opening through a side face of the plug, and a valve positioned in said outer end of the passageway for opening and closing the latter to control the flow of carbon dioxide therethrough, of a carbon dioxide flow directing discharge nozzle tted over the charging plug to provide clearance between the nozzle and the plug opposite the valve and exposing the said valve,whereby the valve may be unseated to allow carbon dioxide to flow into the discharge nozzle from the chamber of the body.

2. In a hand re extinguisher, a body chambered to receive a charge of carbon dioxide, a charging plug closing one end of the chambered body, said charging plug having a passageway therethrough and having its outer end opening through a side face of the plug, and a valve positioned in the outer end of the passageway for opening and closing the latter to control the flow of carbon dioxide therethrough, of a carbon dioxide ow directing discharge nozzle having a mounting sleeve fitted over the charging plug for frictional engagement therewith and having a raised portion to provide clearance between the mounting sleeve and the charging plug opposite the valve, said raised portion having an opening exposing the said valve, whereby the valve may be unseated to allow carbon dioxide to ow through the raised portion into the discharge nozzle from the chamber of the body.

3. In a hand re extinguisher, a body chambered to receive a charge of carbon dioxide and having a threaded opening, a plug threaded in said opening and having a passageway therethrough, said passageway terminating at its outer end in an enlarged pocket opening through a side face of the plug and having a valve seat formed therein, a valve positioned in said pocket and movable inwardly and outwardly thereof to engage and disengage the valve seat to control the ow of carbon dioxide through the passageway, and a carbon dioxide ow directing discharge nozzle having a mounting sleeve tted over said plug for frictional engagement therewith, said mounting sleeve having an opening formed therein in alignment with said valve to allow for the passage of a valve actuating tool, said valve operating to close the opening in the mounting sleeve, when moved outwardly of this pocket to disengage its seat, for preventing loss of carbon dioxide through said opening.

JAMES C. HESSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 69,782 Dexter Oct. 15, 1867 612,433 Orford Oct. 18, 1898 2,109,966 Breitmann Mar. 1, v1938 2,207,191 Geertz July 9, 1940 

